London trip

Last December I went on a two-day business trip to London. The flight Singapore-London took abour 13 hours but the Quantas 747 was quite comfortable and I got to rest most of the time. I had a number of interesting meetings during our visit. StanChar offices are next to the Thames River and I could see the London Eye, London Bridge and the river.

I had Saturday free, so I decided to take the double-decker tourist bus and visit London. I was staying in a hotel in a zone called Barbican, so I walked from the hotel to St. Paul's Cathedral. As usual for London, it was cold and raining and to top it all off, I forgot to bring an umbrella. I also realized that giving away my winter clothes when we left USA to move into the tropics was not such a smart idea after all.

During my visit to London, I noticed most of the people, including tourist, were elegantly dressed. London is a great city full of historical places. I saw a number of statues and old, old buildings. In particular, I saw a new monument dedicated to the RAF pilots who fought during WWII. It was a sobering reminder of some of the wars this city has been through.

I went by a castle where Ana Bolena was beheaded by her "beloved" husband the King. I also stopped by Buckingham Palace, although I did not get to see the Queen. I like the "spirit" of the city, so vibrant and full of live. The small and curving roads that seem to go nowhere are quite charming (except if you are in a hurry, I guess).

When I returned to Singapore I had an unusual feeling: I felt that I actually was back at home. I arrived late afternoon and by the time I caught a taxi it was already night. During the trip from Changi Airport to my house I went by downtown and I saw the illuminated skyline. Peering outside from the taxi's back window, I felt somewhat nostalgic from the world I left behind but more than anything, excitment for what the future would bring.